Down on his luck, Little Walt has found his way to 'The Old Sidevalve Bar'. He knows it's his last hope. If anyone can make him better Albert Crackleport can!. Follow the story of our brave hero as his worn workings are rebuilt, his rusty nuts re-polished and his missing bits searched out from the junk yards of the world.

Saturday, 17 December 2011

Next job was to centre bore the mounting boss with a pilot hole. Then follow through with a larger drill. Suitably sized to make re-fitting the lever blade possible and also the cable. The larger drilling I stopped withing 6mm of the end of the boss. Enough body left to support the cable outer. However I haven't yet decided whether to tap the hole and fit a cable adjuster......

Final part of tonights operation was to bore a 6mm hole in the side of the boss to allow for the barrel of the cable to enter. A slot will then need to be cut from this hole to the end of the boss for the actual cable to slide through. (This will take place after the decision regarding tapping for an adjuster is made.)

So, that's where we are at the moment. Now you all know as much as me !

Friday, 16 December 2011

Greetings 1925sidevalve fans. Our little Walt has been getting some attention down in the workshop. A mixture of Vintafaking and Engineering Excellence have been slowly melding together over the last couple of days, read on to find out the hows, whats and whys......Somethings will never do ! Locking twistgrips ! Whatever next ! It's enough to have a chap thrown out of the vintage brotherhood........

Here's a couple of pics of Walt before work commenced..........

Now I just happen to have...............(because I imported a huge quantity of them from a special Walla I know in India) a pair of inverted levers. "Velly vintagey and velly reasonableey pricey"

Only problem....they are made to fit 1" bars, and Walter comes in at a reduced size of 7/8"Hum, thinking cap on then old bean............and while you are thinking do something about the booming shine ! Bling-Bling-Bling..Let the vintafake commence....didn't take too long with a bit of fine emery paper....The chrome was wafer thin and soon the soft shades of the base metal (brass) were shining through.

Before and after. Wonderful, even if I do say so myself.

Now first job on the engineering side was to start making a boss that would go inside the handlebar and also double as a mount for the lever. Had a lucky break in the fact that the external size of Walters handlebars were the same size as the original mounting flange. I planned on making a boss that went through the centre of the lever mount and fixed into the handlebars as original with a hidden screw.

Above, one boss and one cut lever mounting.

Further updates to follow shortly.....Keep visiting 1925sidevalver and be first with the news...Alb over and out.

Saturday, 3 December 2011

Greetings.I'm not a fan of the seat that is currently fitted to Little Walt. I want a more 'vintage' looking affair. Some sort of leather pan type would be ideal. Walters saddle springs don't tick any boxes with me either.........they are set at the wrong angle and look very BSA Bantam.Time to raid the piggy bank. Here's my purchase. Two springs. How delightful on further examination they turn out to be a matching pair ! Left and right handed coils ! Wonder who made them ? and for what ?

Now, what does my Raleigh parts book suggest ? Not a lot, I can see from the main diagram that they are technically wrong but hey, it's my bike. But what's this mention of Gough and Nonpariel under the chapter title ?Turns out Gough & Co where a manufacturer of quality saddles. Found a couple of pics of their bicycle jobs on Google but no motorcycle seats. Nonpariel ? You tell me........

Monday, 21 November 2011

Greetings 1925sidevalvers. Albert here. There has been a small movement on the Walter. I've spent all this weeks pocket money on a couple of lovely pieces. First flash of the cash brought through my letterbox a reprint of the original parts manual. Full of exploded diagrams showing every part one could purchase way back in 1925. Plus the cost ! Phew.Today an ebay buy - A throttle lever......Nickel plated........Delightful and just wonderful to hold....(Sad old git ain't I ?) I'll have to source or make the rest but hey....so what.

Sunday, 13 November 2011

Greetings. Are you sitting comfortably ? Then I will begin......Here's Walt ! (Full 'Sunday name' Walter Raleigh). He's believed to be a 1925 Raleigh Model 17. Only time and much research will tell. For it is here, today, on this very page we start on a journey. Who knows what will happen along the way.......the aim is to put Walt back into running condition so he can once more phut phut the country lanes of Blighty.